Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel

Starts slow but Lucy Undying has a strong finish. Lucy's voice is perfect, and the story meshes exactly with Stoker's. I was also re-reading Dracula at the same time as this, and it proved difficult to separate the two. Ms. White allows Lucy to take back her story as a victim and allows her to become the hero. The truly scary part is that I find Lucy Undying an entirely plausible story that delves deeper into Bram Stoker's masterpiece without either unraveling.

I AM CHOCK FULL OF EMOTION.

This book was written by somehow digging into my brain and pulling out some of the things I could ever want out of a sapphic vampire novel, and going, “here, I see you, too”. GOD. So many lines and things in this broke me and put me back together again. I am so so glad I spent full hardcover brand new dollars to support this one from a small bookstore I love, bc it deserves it. I’m so happy this book exists in this hellhole of a world that we currently live in and are on the precipice of. I am going to come back to this one many many times over.

Time is a circle, Lucy (and Iris, my other beloved) is alive somewhere, and I have never been happier to read a book for a few days.

This one imprinted onto my show more soul. show less

1890. "Death was only the beginning." At 19, Lucy had been coddled and protected her whole life. Her only solace is her unreciprocated love for her governess Mina. After making the ultimate sacrifice, Lucy spends her immortal life seeking answers and trying to discover who she is.

2024: "The blood is life." Iris is the unwilling heir to a sinister, global, lifestyle empire who travels to her family's English properties to sell off what she can and escape to where she cannot be found. There she meets the angelic local historian Elle. At Whitby, she uncovers Lucy's secret diary and with it, something more terrifying than any vampire.

Two things right off the bat, pun intended: (1) Don't read the Amazon summary, because there's actually a show more major spoiler. (2) Finally an inspired novel that isn't a Mina love triangle nor features a handsome Dracula! Yay!

I found myself wishing the narrative would move a bit faster. Besides Lucy's and Iris' timelines, there is also the journal where the reader gets to experience the major events of "Dracula" from Lucy's perspective. Problem is, the journal is read again by Iris, reiterating what "just happened," and seemingly telling the reader how to feel about Lucy. Also incorporating Dracula's perspective late game I didn't think was necessary, especially as the real villainy unfolds.

I thought the diverging timelines were well done, at no point was I confused. Tonally there's a noticeable difference between "young" and "undying" Lucy. The characters are emotionally complex, and at times hypocritical, which can be frustrating for some, but growth isn't a straight line. For Lucy, especially, the author skillfully maintains her humanity despite it all. Finally, you will absolutely re-read Dracula after this from a new angle and be shocked at what you didn't notice before! show less

If a feminist expansion of Bram Stoker's Dracula crossed with sapphic romance is your jam, you might like this novel. The premise is that Lucy Westenra was not killed but survived as a vampire to the present day. The story is told from three points of view. First, there's 19-year-old Lucy's secret journal where we learn that she puts on a front to deceive her controlling mother and has no interest in the men courting her, but is infatuated with Mina Murray. Second, is a transcript of Lucy talking about her life since becoming a vampire with her therapist in 2024. Finally, there's the story of Iris Godalming, a woman who has inherited property in England and wants to sell all the valuables to make money to get away from the cult-like MLM show more company started by her evil mother. She forms a romantic attachment with Elle, an appraiser from an antique store.

I don't think it's a spoiler, because it's pretty obvious from the start, but "Elle" is in fact Lucy, which Iris only discovers well into the book. The early parts of the novel are interesting in developing Lucy's character and addressing the sexist assumptions of Stoker's characters. But the final third of the novel gets way too silly, and not in a good way, as Lucy and Iris head off to Utah to kill Dracula and bring down the MLM empire. It's unfortunate after a promising start. There are a lot of good moments in this book but it's overall way too long and drags a lot in places. show less

I read Dracula last year for the first time last year and quite enjoyed it. When I saw Lucy Undying I wanted to give it ago. I have to say that I'm half way through and I can't read anymore. So for now I have DNF.

The story switches from three different perspectives. Lucy from Dracula has kept a diary so we see the some of the Dracula story from Lucy's pov. 2024, Iris is trying to get away from her family after her mother has died and meets Elle. Then there is again Lucy talking to a therapist about her life after becoming a vampire.

I enjoyed the journal entries, and also the sections with Iris. The parts where Lucy tells her life for me were so boring. This then dragged the rest of the book down.

I'm bored with this book now and can't show more face another two hundred pages plus. I think the story for me would have worked with just the journal entries and the sections with Iris.

I don't DNF very often but in this case I have, I'm not sorry. show less

DNF